Cushion-tire.



No. 778,850. PATENTED JAN.3, 1905.

W. H. EMOND.

CUSHION TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED 313.12. 1902.

70861265 ea 310616602", W (522 I Militia-I11, [TI/071d.-

UNTTED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT EEicE.

CUSHION-TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,850, dated January3, 1905. Application filed-February 12, 1902. Serial No. 93,713-

T0 at whont it Hui/y concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. EMoNn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suflolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Cushion-Tires, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to cushion-tires for road-vehicles and the like,whether or not they may be self-propelling.

Pneumatic tires for vehicles are open to serious objection because oftheir liability to puncture and become deflated, this objection havingof late proven so great that the use thereof has become greatlydiminished.

One of the advantages of the pneumatic tire as generally used is theconvenience and facility with which it may be manufactured by rolling itup upon mandrels and joining its ends for vulcanization, usually inmolds, and in tires of this sort the inflation is largely relied upon toretain the tire in its position upon the wheel-rim.

One of the aims of my present invention is to provide a cushion-tirethat may be made, if desired, after the general manner of a pneumatictire, with all the advantages attending such mode of manufacture, yetwhich may be secured uniformly to the wheel-rim without inflationthereof in fact, in a deflated condition-the inherent resilient strengthof the walls of the tire both by reason of the structure thereof andalso by reason of the mode of attachment of the tire to the wheel-rimserving to maintain the tire in proper shape for use.

My invention will best be understood after a description of oneembodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, in side elevation, partialsection, shows a typical metallic-rimmed wheel equipped with a tireillustrating my invention; and Fig. 2, an enlarged cross-section of atire and wheel-rim, showing the mode of attachment of the tire, Fig. 1.

In the particular embodiment of my invention selected for illustrationand shown in the drawings the wheel, comprising the hub a, spokes a, andrim (0 may be of any suitable or desired construction. While I have hereshown for convenience a typical wire wheel, yet my invention is equallyapplicable to wheels of other construction. The tire B, as here shown,is ring-like and endless in its completed form and of agenerally-circular cross-section both as to its exterior or peripheralshape and also the shape of the internal bore 6. While this shape ispreferable for obvious reasons, yet my construction is not necessarilyrestricted to such shape. The tire B, as here shown, may be made up indesired manner for instance, following the method of manufacture of theordinary single-tube pneumatic tire-the walls 6 being composed, it maybe, of superimposed rubber and textile layers disposed and arrangedrelative to each other in suitable or desired manner to give the desiredstability, resiliency, and resistance to puncture so much desired intires of this general type. Having been formed in this manner and withthe walls of the internal bore 6 circular in cross-sectional outline orotherwise symmetrically shaped, as distinguished from tires the internalbores of which are formed with recesses or cavities specially providedfor the reception of locking devices, the tire is slit, preferablyradially, from its inner circumference through into the internal bore 6,as indicated at 5 Fig. 2, to permit of the introduction of the fasteningdevices. Through the slit 1) is inserted the fastening member 0, hereshown as a single ring-like member substantially encircling the wheeland preferably of rectangular cross-sectional shape, as shown, forming acontained annular chamber 0 with an internal entrance-opening 0 thereto.While I prefer the rectangular cross-sectional shape shown for thefastening member 0 because of its convenience of manufacture,compactness, and inherent stiffness and inflexibility,yet said membermay be otherwise suitably shaped, if desired, so long as it possessesthe requisite strength and also the desired external shape to enable itproperly to engage and hold the tire, as will be described. After theclamping member has been inserted in the tire the latter is stretchedover the flanges of the wheel-rim, the clamping member opening upsufficiently to enable the tire to be so stretched. One of the ends ofthe ring-like clamping member is provided with a dowel 0 Fig. 1, whichenters the opposed end of said member and retains the two members inalinement during the time it is opened up or extended when the tire isbeing stretched over the wheel-rim.

Instead of inserting the clamping member in the tire before the latteris stretched over the flanges of the wheel-rim said clamping member maybe first placed upon the wheelrim and the tire spread open around itsinner diameter and the edges of the tire slid under the clamping member,being then in the same condition as if the clamping member were firstinserted in the tire and the latter stretched over and upon thewheel-rim. Having been placed in position upon the wheel-rim, theclamping member is contracted circumferentially and radially by suitableclamping devices, as bolts d. These bolts are provided with heads d,that are slid into the clamping member before the latter is inserted inthe tire,the shanks of the bolts protruding through the opening 0 in theclamping member and extending outward through the slot 5 or enlargementsthereof in the tire and are passed through openings provided therefor inthe wheel-rim when the tire is slid upon the rim. While these bolts arespaced at a considerable distance one from another, yet as the nuts (Zthereon are screwed onto the bolts to draw the latter toward the bottomof the wheelrim the clamping member 0, by reason of its inherentstability or rigidity, is constructed uniformly throughout its entirelength,thereby pressing all parts of the tire uniformly upon the steelrim. If the clamping member were a thin flexible strip or were otherwiseshaped so that ithad no inherent stability, the tightening of eachfastening device or bolt would draw the clamping member adjacent saiddevice or bolt down to and upon the steel rim, but would leave theintervening sections of the clamping member bulged outward with outexerting any clamping effect to hold the tire; but with an inherentlyrigid or stiff clamping member, such as here shown, whether or notprovided with a tubular cross-sectional shape for that purpose, thedrawing of said member inward by fastening devices located at separatedpoints causes the entire member to contract substantially uniformlywhile maintaining its circular contour, thus insuring a uniform clampingpressure at all points around the wheel-rim, the ends of the clampingmember gradually closing together as the diameter of its circle lessens.

Since the wall of the internal bore of the tire is substantiallysymmetrical or regular, the efliciency of the clamping action of themember 0 depends upon the secure engagement thereof with the walls ofsaid internal bore, and since the latter hasno recesses or clampingmember may fall or engage I have provided said clamping member, as hereshown, with pronounced though slightlyrounded clamping edges 0 which, asthe said member is contracted in diameter or drawn toward the wheel-rimby the fastening device, impress themselves into the smooth orsymmetrical walls of the internal bore, and thus producea deformation ofthe walls of said bore, such as to cause the tire to be formally lockedand secured between the clamping member and the wheel-rim. Thus byreferring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the clamp ing member, whendrawn inward, by impressing its edges 0 into the walls of the internalbore causes the material of the tire-walls be low the clamping member tobe bulged or extended sufliciently to provide distinct locking edges ofsuch thickness as to insure proper attachment of such walls to thewheel-rim.

It will be observed in the embodimentshown that the sides or flanges ofthe rim or channel for resisting the weight carried by the wheel.

The heads of the attaching bolts (Z are shown as slabbed off at theirsides, Fig. 2, to travel in con tact with the vertical walls of theclamping member 0, thus to guide the bolts within the clamping member,so that they may be slid easily along within the latter to enable themto be inserted in the holes therefor in the wheel-rim without danger oftheir becoming wedged or-otherwise locked against free movement. Theshanks of the bolts where they pass through the slot 0 of the clampingmember are preferably squared to aid in preventing rotation of the boltwhile the nut thereon is being tightened, and the bearing of the sidesof the bolt-head against the vertical walls of the clamping memberprevents this squared shank of the bolt from turning and locking betweenthe walls of the slot in the clamping member. It is safer to rely uponthe bolt-head as a guide to prevent twisting of the bolt when slidingthe latter, because of its greater diameter, than to rely upon the iq lared portion of the smaller shank'of the My invention is not restrictedto the par ticular embodiment thereof here shown, but may be variedwithin the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

1 claim 1. A cushion-tire, having normally a symmetrically-shaped borecontaining a tubular slotted deforming clamping member having aclamping-surface of different configuration from the normalconfiguration of the adjacent Wall of said bore, and adapted to impingeupon the walls of said bore and by deformation thereof lock the tire inposition, and clam ping devices engaging the interior of said clampingmember and passing outward therefrom through the slot therein.

2. A cushion-tire having an internal bore and containing a tubularslotted deforming clamping member rectangular in cross-sectional shapeand adapted to impinge upon the walls of said bore and by deformationthereof lock the latter in position, and clamping-bolts to pass throughthe slot in said clamping member and having heads Within said clampingmember to operate as described.

8. A cushion-tire having an internal bore containing a single ring-likedivided deforming clamping member With a guiding device connecting theseparated ends thereof to preserve alinement of the latter Whilepermitting free expansion and contraction of said ringlike member, andclamping devices cooperating with said clamping member to contract thelatter in diameter to secure the tire upon the wheel-rim.

4:. A cushion-tire having its bore provided with a tubular slottedclamping-ring divided and provided with a dowel connecting its separatedends to preserve alinement thereof While permitting expansion andcontraction of said clamping member, and clamping-bolts cooperating withsaid divided clamping member.

5. A cushion tire of substantially symmetrical cross-section containingan internal clamping member having a clamping-surface of differentconfiguration from the normal configuration of the adjacent Wall of thebore of said tire adapted to impinge upon the Walls of v said bore andby deformation thereof lock the latter in position, clamping devicescooperating with said clamping member and a rim or channel havingflanges extending beyond the compressed portions of said tire to embracea portion of the side walls thereof and confine the enlarged portioncaused by said clamping member, said flanges and clamping membercombining to produce an arched tread with stiffened side walls.

6. A cushion-tire having a bore of substantially circular cross-section,an internallyslotted ring-like clamping member having a clamping-surfaceof different configuration from the normal configuration of the adjacentWall of the bore of said tire adapted to impinge upon the Wall of saidbore and by deformation thereof lock the latter in position, clampingdevices cooperating with said clamping member and the slot therein, anda rim or channel having flanges extending beyond the compressed portionsof said tire to embrace a portion of the side Walls thereof and confinethe enlarged portion caused by the said clamping member, said flangesand clamplng member combining to produce an arched tread with stiffenedside Walls.

7. A cushion-tire having its bore provided With a tubularcontinuously-slotted clampingring having a single division and providedwith alining means connecting its separate ends to preserve alinementthereof while permitting extension and contraction of said clampingmember and clamping-bolts cooperating With said divided clamping memberand the slot therein.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. EMOND.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, EVERETT S. EMERY.

